A Cup Of Tea Please
by MadiShoez
Summary: Modern Day. While Katara is just trying to make it, Sokka gets her a temp job at a Catalogs company. There she meets, a girl with a rock problem, a fire breathing tyrant, a monk like H&R rep, a girl in pink, and a mysteriously quiet man in black and red, with the golden eyes. There she finds friendships, things she never knew about herself, and most important, Love. ZUTARA!
1. Prologue

Prologue

...December 29, 2000…

Chilled thin sheets of blackened ice coated the paved streets. A blanket of fresh white powder, dusted the whole town below. No one knew of the tragedy coming from within the small Alaskan town. A poor family was unprepared for what was about to happen to them, on that dark night. There was a sudden loud knock upon the door, as the little girl raced to help her Papa and her older brother. Once she opened the door, she then faced someone entirely different.

There stood a deranged member of the city's secret police, an older man, graying hair with a burning anger, these indescribable eyes. He kicked open the door, gun in hand. He then pointed the 9mm at the frightened little girl, with the safety off. The mother froze, and then stood firmly in front of her baby girl.

Waving the gun in her face the little girl backed away from the man. He started shouting about money and how passed due the rent was. He grabbed the girl by her hair as she began to scream, the mother begged him to let her go. He did, hitting the women with the back of the gun.

Her mother told her to go down to the town's tavern to get Papa and her brother. The little girl in blue ran, as fast as she could, lungs burning from the strain. Once she got to her Papa and brother, the three of them raced home as fast as they could run. They came back to their home set a blaze. That little girl walked over to her mother's blue betrothal necklace upon the sidewalk.

The once white snow, pure and clean, drifted down in the sky now darkened by the black soot and smoke. The night burned into the little girl's memories, forever. Looking up at the fire, she felt the single tear roll down her cheek. There she saw him; the man walking away right passed her, looking at her one last time. She would never forget those eyes. Then he was gone.

—

...May 22, 2011…

Everyone craves a routine to fallow, needing that familiarity as a safe comfortable pillow of protection. Wanting to feel safe from change, and being creatures of habit we allow ourselves to sink into these patterns willingly.

As always, upon the gas burner was a coal black kettle. Silence stolen by the familiar sound of a match scraping the matchbox. The old man's rough pale hand brought the lit match to the gas, watching the flames flickering to life for what felt like the 1000th time.

Walking towards the front of the small teashop, he flips the open sign hanging on the door. Per usual the woman in blue is pulling her car up to the same spot on the right. It was her routine, being here at six in the morning.

The older man gave her a warm smile, going to get her cup ready. While she sits in the first table beside the counter yet, besides the windows. Where she could always watch the world awakened by the spilling warm golden sun.

The scent of her Oolong tea played at her nose, as she blew upon her tea to cool it down. Taking a small sip, she drank, the warmth relaxing her instantly. The cup clinked slightly against the table as she exhaled. Looking down she saw a name etched into the wood clearly. Running her fingers across, brushing each letter twice.

"Hey, Iroh." The woman asked the elderly man softly. Still tracing the first letter, she looked up.

"Your nephew, what's his name?"

"His name miss Tara, is Zuko." She watched him smile widely. "Actually I believe he is about your age now, works here part time, nights and weekends. Never quite this early though." He laughed as if he had told a good joke.

Katara gave a small smile looking back down at the name, Zuko, carved at the ledge of the table. She felt sad suddenly, this was special. It felt special to her for some reason. What she did not realize, was how special.

…September 20, 2013…

'Everything was pretty much hopeless at this point.' Katara thought as she sat at her sat at her sad excuse for a kitchen table. Money. Money. Money. She thumbed through the stack of unpaid bills sighing and opening her laptop. This job search was not getting her anywhere. Nothing would even hire her, and her last couple of jobs were, awful.

Katara looked at her empty inbox and no news from any of the applications she sent out in the past few months. Then she grimaced looking down at her cell phone, this was her last resort, and yes, she was now, officially that desperate. Grabbing her phone, she went to her contacts, scrolling all the way down to the S's, and hit call.

"Hello." Everything about the voice bothered her right now for some reason.

"Sokka, I need some help." Katara said unknowingly chewing her lip.

"With?" he sighed and Katara rolled her eyes.

"I need a temporary job until I can find a permanent job; I just need money for my bills." She said quietly then waited, his silence was deafening.

"I knew it!" he shouted, then scoffed to himself.

"Please Sokka. I'm about to be kicked out of my flat." She was about to beg him to let her.

"Okay, fine, I will have Suki set up an interview later this week, and you can start the fallowing Monday. How is that?" he asked begrudgingly. "Even though I offered this job to you like a month ago, but I recall you being too good for it."

"I know, and I am sorry. I just wanted to do this on my own, but it is harder then I assumed…" she winced and he scoffed.

"Yeah, I know. I have to go, talk to you later." He said and ended the call. She was in his debt.

**_Author's note- New Zutara Story! Let me know what you think so far, I was going for a modern way to bring them into an office kind of setting, with trying to keep the storyline pretty close to what was in the actual cartoon series. Review, please. Let me know your thoughts and opinions. I am going to re write my other story too. Therefore, I am going to take it down for a while. _**

**_I also have the next chapter already written so how about FIVE review. Thank you. Much love. _**


	2. Office Work

Chapter One

October 8, 2013  
...Day One...

In one hand she held her deep navy blue umbrella, occasionally watching the beads of rain trailing down the edges. While in the other hand, she held a cup of Oolong tea from her favorite teashop. The white streams of steaming swirls twisted in the cool air, catching her attention. Katara Waters, she really only went by Tara though. She was outside the building only five minutes early, with no one here, the door still locked, and no way inside.

Sokka had told her they opened around six-thirty to seven in the morning. Tara being her prompt self wanted her older brother to see she would be the best temporary worker her brother had. She had not sold anything before in her life, but she needed this job. Badly.

Glancing over at her watch again seeing it was a quarter after seven, she shivered. 'Where is everyone?' She wondered.

Suddenly tapped upon her shoulder from behind, making Tara jumped. There stood a bald man, in his early twenties with a small apologetic smile. He wore a white dress shirt with an orange and yellow tie. She noticed on his left hand he had a blue arrow tattooed there. Tara refrained from asking whether there was some hidden meaning behind it.

"The temp I presume?" He reached for his keys and opened the doors.

"Yeah, I was told to be here by seven?" She closed her umbrella and walked inside. Tara wore her lighter blue undershirt with her deep blue suit jacket and matching skirt.

"We are supposed to be here by then, but since the boss doesn't show up until 8:30, at the earliest, so we all just show up sometime before him." He paused and pushed the elevator button, "I'm usually the first one here; you weren't out in the rain long I hope?"

"No, not too long." She smiled, and then giggled. "I actually love the rain so it's perfectly fine with me." He chuckled, nodding lightly. The elevator beeped, and then the door slid open.

"Aang. Aang Wind." He reached to shake her hand.

"Tara Waters." She shook his hand.

They reached the fourth floor and she fallowed Aang towards the office, on the door was a blandly written sign that read 'Elemental Furniture Catalogs'. There were desks randomly throughout the open room. There were no walls or organized cubicles, just random desks with the occasional cubicle. Each desk personalized, well besides one, which presumably was her desk.

"Your new desk is right there. You have all the basics; just let me know if you need anything. I am the offices H&R Rep, so honestly. Just ask." He laughed and walked to a desk. Everything was orange, his stapler, folders, miniature fan, and orange laces for his shoes.

"Okay I will thanks." She put her tea and purse down. Then walked in another woman, she had a straight light brown bob. She looked up over at Tara smiled hanging her jacket onto the coat rack.

"Hey, there." She laughed. Katara nodded.

"Hello." Tara said with a small smile then went to hang her jacket up too.

"Sokka didn't tell me he hired a temp." She said sitting at the front receptionist desk.

"It was a last minute plea offer." Katara laughed. She then turned to see another women storming into the room wearing a dark green suit an off yellow headband, earrings, undershirt, and matching briefcase.

"Twinkle-toes, what have I told you about parking in my spot by the tree."

"It is just a parking spot Toph, and what did I tell you about calling me that. My name is Aang." He sighed as she walked past Katara and sat down at the desk next to hers. 'Great...' Katara groaned internally.

"If it's just a parking spot then why do you always have to have that one? Huh? Besides you know that tree is good on sunny days." She complained.

"It's a rainy day Toph, no need to worry about the sun today and I do it because it's a good parking spot." He stated clearly, as Katara just watched.

"Whatever you say peacekeeping Rep, I'm watching you over there... very closely." She narrowed her eyes and spun in her chair under her desk.

"Now, who's the temp?" She asked. Katara studied her short black hair, big green eyes. Toph was still spinning in her chair watching Aang.

"Hey, my names Tara." She extended her hand and smiled. Toph put her arms behind her head, stopped spinning to get a good look at Katara, nodding.

"You look like a tyrant waiting to happen. You look even worse than Sir Twinkle-toes over there." She nudged to Aang and he glared.

"Hey! I'm not a tyrant and you know close to nothing about her Toph."

"Yeah." Katara agreed quickly.

"No need to get all defensive on me." She chortled quietly as a woman in all pink, stumbled in.

"Okay guys I may or may not have accidentally hit someone on the way to work. Is it okay I kept driving or is that bad?" She worried then shrugged with her long hair braided down her back. "Also I brought doughnuts." She carried the pink box to the break room beside the water cooler.

"You did what?" Aang called fallowing her as did everyone.

"Cough 'em over Pinky." Toph grabbed three doughnuts. "This is how you get on my good side. That or help me prank Azula." Katara watched from behind, the group smiling, amazed by how close they all were.

"Feeling welcome yet?" Suki asked softly with her arms crossed. Katara smiled.

"Yeah, I mean with everyone I've met so far, it feels very welcoming." She mumbled. Katara walked back to her desk and drank her tea watching them.

Then her eyes went to the door, as a man in his mid twenties walked in. He wore a red dress shirt black tie and pants. He shook off his jacket. Katara watched him closely.

The man was super pale with shaggy black hair that hung in is front of his golden eyes. Their eyes met as he kept his lips pursed, and then he looked away walking over to his desk beside hers. There was something so familiar about this man, but she could not quite place it.

—

A couple more people showed up as 8:30 approached, and then Sokka showed up. He was tired and cranky. He told everyone conference room 10 minutes, putting Suki in charge of taking notes, then went to his office. He closed the blinds and peaked threw them a couple times. One word that described Sokka was very, odd.

Everyone made their way to the conference room and sat waiting for him. He showed up, wheeled in an old TV cart putting in a VHS into the old fashion VCR. It was an odd video about Sokka attempting to rap and dance while trying to sell catalogs. It was painful to watch, very painful.

When the video ended, they all looked at Sokka who was eagerly smiling and nodding.

"Now, what about it? Heh? You know, as the new commercial for Elemental Furniture Catalogs. Huh? Hmm?" He nudged at the Guy with the shaggy black hair. "Come on? Aang? Bumie? Anyone?"

"Sokka it isn't really appropriate for TV, your lyrics are crude and very-" Aang started to say but then interrupted by Sokka.

"Who asked for your opinion Aang?" Sokka grumbled and looked for anyone else in the room to make a comment about it.

"Uh, you asked for it?" Aang replied.

"I like it." Bumie said smiling. "It's fresh and hip. Aang you need to stop being a worry wart." He crossed his arms and nodded at Aang.

"It is my job as H&R's representative to ensure everyone, namely Sokka, is fallowing the rules and regulations." Aang sighed and looked over at Katara who rolled her eyes. "Now this video can result in us being sued for several reasons, so everyone please, let's get back to work."

"Yeah Sokka, I mean a rap video?" Katara sighed.

"I thought it was hilarious and awesome." Toph crossed her arms. "It was magical." She snickered while another woman smirked.

"Please I appreciated the video; it was basically art, while dirt girl is most likely mocking your work."

"Azula kissing ass so early, you must be in a mood." Toph was the one smirking.

"Everyone please, I cannot concentrate." An older man groaned. "Seven letters down, another word for luck..." he grumbled in deep thought.

"As I was saying, before Aang rudely interrupted me. Comments? Azula as always, I appreciate your insight." He nodded.

"May I make a suggestion?" The women in pink asked and Sokka laughed.

"Ty Lee, please, if it has to do with pink clothing we'll ask you then." He gave Ty Lee a pat upon her back and turned to the man with golden eyes, waiting for his insight upon the matter.

"I think this is stupid, and we're wasting time from making sales, you know work?" the man with golden eyes said bluntly.

Everyone agreed, getting up to go back to their desks. One by one they left as Sokka laughed it off saying get back to work.

"Ah ha! Fortune!" The older man laughed filling in the crossword.

Sokka glared at the older man, hunched over. "Pakku get to work, I don't pay you to sit and do crosswords." He then went back to his office.

"You don't pay me, the company does." Pakku yelled behind Sokka as he shut his office door.

Katara sat down at her desk listening to Sokka then looked up. There sat Toph on her right, and the women named Azula on her left. Katara gave Azula a perplexed look as she tapped her long red nails against the wood of her dark desk. Azula then used a ruler between the desks pushing loose papers back onto Toph's desk. Toph picked up her desk phone and dialed a number. Azula's phone had begun to ring. Reaching for it, she answered.

"Elemental Furniture Catalogs, this is Azula, may I help you or interest you in taking the time to buy a catalog from us." Katara watched Toph pretend to vomit.

"Yeah, I'd like your finest catalog about how to end a royal pain in my ass." Toph kept a straight face and Azula scoffed, hanging up.

"Can't wait for Sokka to, fire, you." Azula spat, and Toph smirked.

"You mean fire your prince-ass." Katara leaned forward putting her head on her desk and sighing loudly.

"Can we start working now please guys?" Katara attempted to stop their argument, if you could call their child like behavior one.

"Excuse, me?" Azula leaned forwards picking at a hair on her designer suit. Katara looked up slowly,

"I don't take orders from an inferior, let alone, a temp." Azula's familiar golden eyes flickered meeting Katara's, she had this look to them, melting and dangerous. "Is that clear?" She threatened then smiled sweetly, making Katara freeze under her intent burning gaze.

"Ignore her Sugar Queen; she's got this power trip idea, probably plotting to overthrow Sokka in his sleep." Toph laughed. "Don't worry she's harmless. If you ask me, she has had one too many jalapeño sandwiches for lunch. They've gone to her head."

"I heard that..." Azula narrowed her eyes, looking at Toph resentfully. "If anyone is an inferior to me, it'd be you Toph. Now go play with your pet rock or some other useless dirt pile." Azula grabbed her stack of papers, shuffling them together and straightening them. Katara stood up and walked over to Aang.

"Hey Aang I was wondering who was going to show me what I'm supposed to do, with it being my first day and all. Sokka said to ask you, that he was busy." She smiled weakly.

"Ah, that would be Bumie. He is older but knows the product inside and out. He's been here longer than I've been alive." He laughed, getting up and walking to the back corner as Katara fallowed behind.

"Bumie, Ty Lee and Mai, meet Katara. She's going to be the temp for a while." Katara shook Ty Lee and Bumie's hands giving a smile.

"Tara Waters." She said softly. Mai rolled her eyes then sighed, ignoring Katara, looking back at her computer screen.

"Don't mind her, she fighting with her boyfriend. By the way, I love your shoes. Just fyi." Ty Lee giggled.

"Anyways, Bumie, could you show Tara the product and what she needs to do." Aang asked. Bumie nodded slowly smiling. Then froze.

"Wait which product?" He asked nervously.

"Catalogs? What other product is there?" He asked concerned.

"Nothing." He said quickly. "We're all good here." Aang nodded suspiciously and walked away. "That you need to know anything about." He said quietly. "Now, Tara is it?"

"Yes Bumie." She said as he got up walking her to her desk.

"It is a furniture catalog. Price 5.95$. Flip through it. Fill out name. Date of birth. Address. Credit card numbers. Write it in computer press save. Move on. Call list of the day is in your folder." He then nodded started towards his desk turned around. "Other business is concluded after 7pm in the rock pub on 81st and Cartoon." He whispered. Katara gave a weak uneasy smile sitting down. 'Looks easy enough.' She thought to herself calling first person on the list.

"Hello is this Jet Rebel?" She asked timidly. "Yes this is. May I ask why someone from the Washington branch of Elemental Furniture is calling me?" He asked slightly annoyed.

"I-I'm sorry?" Katara asked. "It's my first day and they told me to call the first number." The man laughed a little, and then sighed.

"Well, first of all I am Sokka's boss. You want to be calling and selling to other people. Second, didn't he show you what you would be doing?" He asked I sighed.

"Yes but I misunderstood. My apologies sir." She said embarrassed.

"That's okay ma'am." He laughed again.

"Bye." He said sternly.

"Bye." Katara hung up and grumbled getting up. She knocked on Sokka's door and hearing Sokka, she rolled her eyes. Katara opened the door as he got off the phone.

"For the third time, you put clients name here, and your name goes here. So we know how much you sold and from where. Then you fill out the orders for your client. Then we send it to Elemental Furniture Manufacturing." Sokka tapped the monitor and then Katara's forehead in the same manor.

"Hey!" Katara swat his hand away. "First day, and it is a lot of information."

"Whatever. Lunch is forty- five minutes. Break room over there." Then walked away annoyed.

Katara rolled her eyes, grabbing her umbrella and coat she made her way down stairs. It was raining harder than this morning and had slight wind. The rain made her feel safe, comfortable almost.

Taking a step outside she paused to open her umbrella. She inhaled the scent of rain deeply, then smiling. She heard a shouting noise coming from the elevator. It opened, letting off one while another stayed on. The man with the golden eyes walked towards the door opening it and letting it close.

Katara pretended not to see then turned to see him pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and a lighter.

"Rough day so far?" Katara turned to the man given a warm smile. He lit his cigarette and exhaled the smoke.

"You could say that." He murmured quietly. "You asking for multiple reasons, temp?" He raised an eyebrow slightly then saw her panicked expression.

"Don't worry." He actually gave a small half smiled. "Just messing with you. I'm fine, really, just a little stressed."

"Oh." She forced a laugh, and looked away awkwardly. "Well I was going to grab something to eat, so..." she rocked back on her heals pointing at her small royal blue Volkswagen Beetle."Yeah. Talk to you later?" He nodded, smashing the used bud into the cigarette tray on top of the trashcan. Katara started to bite her bottom lip slightly, waving to the mysterious man.

Turning around she saw his eyes, a glint of warmth and anger flickered. "I'm Tara by the way." She said stopping for a second. He gave a firm singular nod, and shoved his hands into his black dress pockets.

"Really now?" He asked, lightly amused, and then started inside, leaving Katara confused and alone. She almost wanted to ask him if they knew each other. However, he was already gone before she even got the chance to do so.

**Author's Note- Hey felt like putting up the other chapter, so review and let me know if you like the direction of the story. okaythanksbye. Muchlove. REVIEW PLEASE!**


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